The Elliot Szabo Band
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | SELF
Music
Press
ELLIOT SZABO, "Between Two Points On A Map" (elliotszabo.com): He sings as if his heart has just been fed through a paper shredder.
"I'm a fatalist, you see," Elliot Szabo announces on "Window," a stark, obsidian ballad that sets a brooding tone for his latest release.
Despite the dark clouds that Szabo envisions above his head, his tunes still tend to have an invigorated feel to them, as they follow a similar, loose trajectory: They begin with a funky shuffle ("Georgia Beaches") or a touch of acoustic longing ("Majesty"), with Szabo's equally pliant and pleading voice eventually ratcheting itself into a full-bodied gutbucket howl as guitars crest in waves of dissonance ("Persian") or a stirring strum ("Crawling").
Szabo's confessional scab picking isn't always pretty, even if the opposite is true of the tunes that result from it all.
Jason Bracelin - Las Vegas Review Journal
By Dan Harris
There is an endless supply of acoustic guitar wielding singer.songwriters who take to the coffee shops and bars of the world each night in hopes of getting noticed, being heard and sounding different. Elliot Szabo was a member of this multitude; but now after 6 years of growth in the Chicago music scene, he and his sound are standing out in the crowd.
Influenced by bands like "The Smashing Pumpkins" and "At the Drive In", Szabo, now 25, is developing an acoustic sound that draws on the songwriting and lyrical flavors of his electric rock upbringing. - Tipp-C
by Tim Brouke
Local and area acoustic musicians are finding strength in numbers. Singer-songwriter Elliot Szabo has organized “The Brass Noose Review,” a show that features his trio along with sets from Jen Fleets, Ian Daniels and Nick Bognar. The musicians have struggled to find outlets for their original music by themselves. The four singersongwriters prefer music more aggressive than folk but still prefer to play acoustic. “On our own, our music tends to be too loud for coffee shops but too soft for bars,” Szabo said. “Together, we can offer a full night of music without compromising what we do.” Szabo, 26, will be joined by bassist Chris Stahly and drummer Clayton Henady. Szabo doesn’t ignore his rock roots with his music, but he aims for a sound closer to Elliot Smith and Jethro Tull’s acoustic side. While now living in the Chicago area, Fleets will return to Lafayette where she established her songwriting while a student at Purdue University. Fleets can go from one of her sweet originals to a Tool cover on a dime. Daniels’ music is guitar-driven while Bognar will be working with a bassist and drummer, too. - Journal & Courier
Discography
3 Angry Girls
Photograph, City Song, Window
Between Two Points on a Map
Crawling, Persian, Majesty, Window, Georgia Beaches
Photos
Bio
Las Vegas singer, songwriter, and all-out acoustic rocker Elliot Szabo (www.elliotszabo.com) engages his audience with a mixture of relatable lyrics and infectious grooves, delivering an upbeat set of crowd-pleasing tunes and styles similar to those of Eric Hutchinson, Matt Nathanson and Duncan Sheik.
Szabo had performed as a solo artist and in various groups throughout the Midwest before making the move to the Entertainment Capital of the World. Szabo joined up with drummer Jeremey Kieth, bassist Gary Coveney and keyboardist / guitarist John Ferro and the foursome have been writing, recording and playing shows throughout the Southwest since 2007. He and his band mates have a true love of performing, which shines through on stage during each show.
Born and raised in Indiana, Szabo cites the rock classics of the 60s and 70s such as Cat Stevens and Jethro Tull as his musical influences. Throughout his youth, Szabos father played guitar, which inspired Elliot to do the same. He painstakingly studied the songbooks of such iconic performers as Neil Diamond, George Harrison, and Paul Simon, and soon father and son would spend many a day jamming together.
My music is inspired by a variety of personal experiences and stories throughout my life, says Szabo. The song themes explore the complexities of human nature within different situations.
Elliot Szabos EP, Between Two Points on a Map, was released on June 26, 2009 and features tracks such as Crawling, Majesty, and Window. Szabo recorded the tracks at Digital Insight, a leading live tracking and mixing studio in Las Vegas. Digital Insights clients include B.B. King and Kayne West, among many others. Szabo also worked with engineer Rob Root (The Killers, Day and Age). Between Two Points on a Map is available for purchase at www.elliotszabo.com.
Band Members
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